Send Money Overseas

Send Money to Russia Cheaply

Information verified correct on December 10th, 2016

Find a reliable and affordable way to send an international money transfer to Russia.

The history of Australian-Russian relations can be traced back to 1807 and the arrival of the Russian warship Neva in Sydney. Today, there are almost 75,000 Australians of Russian ancestry, many of whom still maintain strong links with Mother Russia.

If you ever need to send an international money transfer from Australia to Russia, perhaps to provide financial support to friends or family, there are several banks and money transfer companies who can help. But if you don’t compare your options and shop around for good value, your international transfer could end up costing you a whole lot more than it should.

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Rates last updated December 10th, 2016

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Banks versus money transfer services

If your bank handles all of your other financial needs, why not see if it can handle an international transfer to Russia for you as well? Unfortunately, banks are notorious for providing quite dismal exchange rates on international wire transfers, not to mention for charging high fees on each transaction.

The banks offer such a raw deal on international money transfers that recent years have seen the emergence of several online money transfer companies. With expertise in moving funds abroad, these companies, such as TorFX, offer better exchange rates and lower fees than the banks. There are plenty of other reputable online transfer providers available – you can find a list of them at finder.com – but many of them don’t offer any support for Russian Rubles.

Another option is to use a money transfer company with a cash pickup option, such as Western Union or MoneyGram. These two companies offer large worldwide transfer networks and allow your recipient to pick up the cash you send within minutes.

Case study: Vera sends money to Russia

Vera has received a job posting in Australia and after working here for six months, she’s decided she will one day apply to become a permanent resident. Although she loves her new country, Vera still maintains strong ties with her homeland, specifically her parents. So when they need money to pay for repairs to their car, Vera offers to send the $1,000 as soon as possible. Instead of accepting the low exchange rate offered by her bank, Vera compares two money transfer companies with cash pickup options to see which one will offer a more affordable solution.

Money transfer company 1

Money transfer company 2

Exchange rate

1 AUD = 0.669792 USD

1 AUD = 0.67269 USD

Transfer fee

$60

$25

Transfer method

Cash pickup

Cash pickup

Transfer time

10 minutes

1 hour

Amount received (in USD)

$669.79

$672.69

As you can see, Vera’s parents will have to convert the US Dollars she sends into Russian Rubles. The second transfer company can save Vera $35 in transfer fees and also allow her parents to receive a few extra US Dollars.

Emergency cash transfers in Russia

While sometimes you have the luxury of being able to wait several days for your funds to arrive, there are other times when you need to send your money to Russia as quickly as possible. When you find yourself in such a situation, always remember to check the exchange rate and any fees that apply to your transaction, as urgent transfers will usually cost more. Reading all the details of your transaction before you hand over your money will prevent any nasty surprises in the future.

If you want to send a cash transfer to Russia, Western Union and MoneyGram both offer plenty of agent locations throughout Russia. Some popular cash pickup locations are listed below, but tell your beneficiary to confirm addresses and opening hours before visiting. Taking along a transaction tracking number and photo ID is also essential.

Tips for picking up cash in Russia

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade recommends that Australian visitors to Russia “exercise a high degree of caution”, explaining that petty crime, pickpocketing and mugging are all common problems in high tourist areas. With this in mind, make sure to exercise extreme caution when picking up a cash transfer in Russia. Only visit a transfer agent in an area where you feel safe and make sure to stay aware of your personal security at all times. Don’t display your money in public and leave it somewhere safe (rather than carrying it around) as soon as possible.

How to send money to Russia

As you can see, there are several options at your disposal when you need to send money to Russia. Transfer processes will vary depending on the provider you choose, but you will usually have to provide your name, address, contact details and proof of ID before you can send a transfer.

Next, you’ll need to supply your recipient’s information, such as their name and contact details, and in some cases their bank account information. Once you’ve explained how much money you would like to transfer and in which currency, you can pay for your transfer and wait for the funds to be sent to your beneficiary.

You will also usually be given a tracking number to allow you to check up on the progress of your transfer.

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Important Information

finder.com is an independent comparison platform and information service that aims to provide you with the tools you need to make better decisions. While we are independent, we may receive compensation from our partners for placement of their products or services. We may also receive compensation if you click on certain links posted on our site. While compensation arrangements may affect the order, position or placement of product information, it doesn't influence our assessment of those products. Please don't interpret the order in which products appear on our Site as any endorsement or recommendation from us. finder.com compares a wide range of products, providers and services but we don't provide information on all available products, providers or services. Please appreciate that there may be other options available to you than the products, providers or services covered by our service.